Derrick Morgan was appointed Conductor of Helensburgh Orchestral Society in Summer 2022.
Derrick Morgan is a young Scottish conductor and award winning graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The University of Edinburgh. He is currently Assistant Artistic Director of the Nevis Ensemble and Musical Director of Paisley Sinfonia, Paisley Philharmonic Choir, Rudsambee Company of Singers and Blackbird Opera. He also holds the position of Principal Conductor of Ensemble Alba, Conductor of the Helensburgh Orchestral Society and is a regular guest with Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Highlights of the 2021/22 season included being a finalist in the inaugural Conductors’ Competition held by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain; working with the young players of the West of Scotland Schools Symphony Orchestra in their annual taster day; returning to Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra in preparation for their jubilee concert celebrating British composers; working with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s singers and brass players in their annual Christmas concert at Gleneagles Hotel; and being invited to work with the Glasgow Orchestral Society on one of their summer Play Days. He also assisted Thomas Søndergård and the RSNO at their Edinburgh International Festival performance of Mendelssohn’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and John Butt in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s production of Handel’s ‘Giulio Cesare’.
An advocate for contemporary music, Derrick gave the Scottish Premiere of Jonathan Dove’s ‘Mansfield Park’ at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2016 and has also performed and premiered over forty works at the University of Edinburgh, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and with his chamber choir Rudsambee. He has also acted as judge and conductor of the Edinburgh University String Orchestra’s Emre Araci Competition, and with Rudsambee in their inaugural composition competition in 2017.